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OSSINING, N.Y. -- Clay Tiffany, an Ossining resident who hosted his own public access show, "Dirge For The Charlatans," was found dead in his Ossining home on Thursday, March 26.

Tiffany, who died of natural causes, could've been dead for two weeks, according to News12. He was 69 or 70 years old.

Tiffany was a perennial candidate for the Briarcliff Board of Education, running seven times, though never winning.

He sued the Village of Briarcliff Manor numerous times, including after he claimed a police officer Nicholas Tartaglione assaulted him.

In 2004, Jerry Smith, the president of the Ossining NAACP, was convicted of second-degree harassment after an alleged altercation with Tiffany, according to lohud.com.

Yorktown resident Bruce Apar, who hosts his own public access show, said Tiffany epitomized the intent and practice of public access television.

"To give voice to anyone and everyone who wishes to share ideas and thoughts and, yes, grievances -- petty and perceived though some them may be," Apar said. "He may have been obnoxious and obstreperous, but there's no law against either."

Shane McGaffey, general manager of Pleasantville's PCTV, said he didn't know Tiffany personally, but he saw his show.

"Public access is about First Amendment rights," McGaffey said. "He certainly exercised those. He was very forceful. He used his freedom of speech to the fullest extent. That was him."